Umair Gaines
Keeping piglets warm is critical to maintaining their health and achieving early growth. While heat lamps have been used extensively in the past, they have shortcomings such as being a fire hazard, requiring electricity, and not providing consistent heat levels. To keep piglets warm without electricity, one can use bedding with insulating and moisture-wicking properties, such as straw, or invest in heritage breeds that have more backfat and are hardier in cold temperatures. Additionally, sows themselves are a great source of heat, and piglets will sleep next to their mother to stay warm. For very young piglets, a warming box with a built-in heater and good insulation can be an effective solution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Heat lamps | The traditional option, but can be dangerous and are a fire hazard. |
| Warming boxes | Can be used with a heat lamp or radiant heater. |
| Radiant heaters | More expensive than heat lamps but safer and more efficient. |
| Heated pads | More expensive than heat lamps but safer and more efficient. |
| Straw | An insulating material that can be used for bedding or to build huts. |
| Genetics | Select for animals with genetics that do not require heavy intervention to thrive in cold weather. |
| Bedding | Provides insulation and can be used by mother pigs to build nests. |
| Natural heat | Piglets can sleep next to their mother to stay warm. |
| Extra food | Providing more food will help piglets generate body heat. |
| Warm months | Farrow in warmer months to avoid the need for supplements. |
| Heritage breeds | These breeds maintain more backfat, making them hardier in cold temperatures. |
| Draft-free | Ensure piglets are kept in a draft-free environment to prevent hypothermia. |
| Dry conditions | Keep piglets in dry conditions to prevent hypothermia. |
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What You'll Learn
Use a warming box with a convection heater
Keeping piglets warm is critical to maintaining their health and achieving early growth. A piglet's ideal temperature is between 25-30°C, but for very young, low-weight piglets up to three days old, temperatures of up to 34°C may be necessary to prevent hypothermia.
One way to keep piglets warm without using electricity is to use a warming box with a convection heater. A warming box is a specialist piece of kit that provides a draft-free, warm environment for piglets. It is a lidded box with internal dimensions of 105cm x 45cm x 45cm and a capacity of 150 litres, which is enough space for 20 newborn piglets. The box is made of durable plastic and weighs 35kg, making it portable, although it may require two people to move it.
The warming box includes an integrated convection heater that draws in fresh air through side vents and circulates warmed air around the box. This type of heater is safer than a heat lamp, as it does not have the same fire risks associated with dangling heat lamps, which are the leading cause of barn fires in the winter months. The temperature of the warming box can be adjusted with a digital display on the hinged box lid up to a maximum of 36°C.
The manufacturer suggests that piglets can be removed and returned to the sow after about 1-2 hours. This method of keeping piglets warm may be more expensive than using heat lamps, with the warming box costing around £180. However, it provides a controlled and safe way to keep piglets warm without the risk of fire or injury to the piglets.
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Provide extra bedding for insulation
Providing extra bedding for piglets is an effective way to keep them warm without using electricity. Bedding techniques, along with farrowing structures, can help keep piglets warm, even in the coldest months. Straw is a recommended option for piglet bedding as it radiates body heat back to the piglets, keeping them warm. It is also a material that pigs are adept at making into beds themselves. However, it is important to ensure that the bedding is draft-free and dry, as these conditions are critical to maintaining the health of piglets and achieving early growth.
Piglets also benefit from extra insulation provided by their mother and littermates. Piglets will naturally sleep next to their mother, using her body heat to stay warm. Heritage breeds of pigs are also known for their ability to maintain copious amounts of backfat, which helps them withstand cold temperatures. Additionally, piglets can pile up in a corner or on top of each other to retain warmth.
For bedding, it is recommended to provide enough space for the piglets to move around and ensure they have access to shade and shelter from the rain. A hut or enclosure can provide protection from the elements and help regulate their body temperature.
Overall, by utilizing bedding techniques, leveraging the sow's body heat, selecting certain pig breeds, and ensuring adequate space and shelter, you can effectively provide extra bedding for insulation to keep piglets warm without relying on electricity.
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Ensure piglets are dry and not shivering
Ensuring piglets are dry and not shivering is critical to maintaining their health and achieving early growth. While heat lamps, warming boxes, radiant heaters, and heated pads are popular ways to keep piglets warm, they require electricity.
Piglets that are dry, not piled more than three high, and not shivering indicate that natural heat sources are working. The best source of heat comes from the sow herself. Piglets raised without heat lamps will sleep next to their mother, benefiting from her body heat. When expanding your breeding herd, invest in genetics with proven mothering skills.
Bedding is another way to keep piglets warm and dry. It provides insulation and something for the piglets to burrow in. Straw is a good option for bedding as it radiates the piglets' body heat back to them, and they can make their own beds out of it. Paper towels are also a good option as they can soak up moisture. Deep bedding is preferable as it can be composted, generating heat.
If you are keeping your pigs outside during the winter, there are a few things you can do to ensure they stay warm and dry. Firstly, provide them with a shelter that will protect them from the elements, such as a hut or an arc raised off the ground on railway sleepers. Make sure all seams are sealed properly, and the entrance is facing away from the prevailing wind. You can also place a sack-cloth over the entrance at night to prevent drafts and heat loss.
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Piglets can huddle together and with the sow
Piglets benefit from the body heat of their mother, the sow, who can increase air temperatures around her belly by as much as 40 degrees. This allows the piglets to stay warm and toasty without the need for heat lamps or other artificial heat sources. However, this method requires attentive sows that avoid crushing piglets in close quarters.
In addition to the sow's body heat, piglets can also huddle together to stay warm. This method is observed in both young and adult pigs, who generate their own heat and can stay warm by piling up together. Providing extra bedding or insulation can further enhance the warmth created by the piglets' bodies.
While huddling with the sow and each other can help keep piglets warm, it is important to consider the temperature requirements of both the piglets and the sow. Piglets require a temperature of 25-30°C, while the sow's optimum temperature is lower at 15-18°C. Therefore, providing a separate space for the piglets to huddle together, such as a warming box or a heated creep area, can help maintain the ideal temperature for the piglets without sacrificing the sow's comfort.
By utilizing the body heat of the sow and allowing piglets to huddle together, farmers can reduce the need for supplemental heat sources and create a more natural and cost-effective way to keep piglets warm without electricity.
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Use a heat mat or lamp
Heat lamps have been used extensively in agriculture for many decades. They are affordable and safe to use indoors. They can be hung above the pen to provide top-down heat. However, heat lamps have a number of drawbacks. They can be a fire hazard, especially in winter, and are expensive to run. They also require electricity and may need upgrades to circuit breakers. In addition, the heat from lamps rises away from the piglets, and the lamp has a relatively focused area of heat, which may lead to some piglets lying outside its reach.
Pig heat mats, on the other hand, are a more economical option. They provide bottom-up heat, which is more practical as the heat source is completely utilised by the litter. Heat mats are also safer than lamps, as there is no chance of "blowing a bulb", which can leave animals without heat for extended periods. In addition, pig heat mats require less electricity, as only one electrical outlet is needed for every two stalls. Mats are also easier to clean, as they can be washed in-place in the farrowing stall.
However, heat mats have a higher initial cost than heat lamps. They also take longer to attract piglets to their warmth, whereas a heat lamp provides instant warmth.
When using a heat lamp, it is important to site it carefully. It should be hung high enough so that the piglets cannot damage the unit or suffer burns. An alternative to a traditional bulb is to use a ceramic emitter, which is more robust and does not produce light, allowing piglets to rest better.
When using a heat mat, it is important to centre it in the creep area to keep the piglets near the teat they are nursing from, thus encouraging increased lactation. It is also a good idea to use a drying agent on the solid surface of the heat mat.
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Frequently asked questions
Piglets require a temperature of 25-30°C. However, this is difficult to balance with the sow’s optimum temperature of 15-18°C.
One way to keep piglets warm is to use a warming box, which provides circulated warm air and can be adjusted to temperatures up to 36°C. Another way is to use bedding, which provides insulation and can be made of paper towels or straw. Additionally, piglets can be kept warm by their mother sow, who increases air temperatures around her belly, keeping them warm.
Alternative methods include using heat lamps, radiant heaters, or heated pads. While these methods require electricity, they are effective in providing warmth. Heat lamps are the cheapest option, but they have shortcomings such as the risk of fire and the focused area of heat. Heat mats have a higher upfront cost but are more efficient and safer.
It is important to provide extra food during colder months to help piglets maintain their body temperature. Additionally, proper lighting during feeding is crucial to spot any health issues and maintain sleeping rhythms. Finally, consider the piglet's genetics, as heritage breeds tend to have more backfat and better cold temperature hardiness.
